Maternal and Paternal Disciplinary Styles: Relations with Preschoolers'' Playground Behavioral Orientations and Peer Status

To explore relations among parents' self-reported disciplinary styles, preschoolers' playground behavioral orientations, and peer status, 106 mothers and fathers of preschool-age children (age range = 40-71 months) participated in home disciplinary style interviews. Observations of their children's playground behavior in preschool settings and measures of sociometric status were also obtained. Results indicated that children of more inductive mothers and fathers (i.e., less power assertive) exhibited fewer disruptive playground behaviors. In addition, daughters and older preschoolers of inductive mothers exhibited more prosocial behavior. Children of inductive mothers were also more preferred by peers. Few significant relations were found between paternal discipline and child behavior/peer status. Age-related patterns of behavior also indicated that older preschoolers who engaged in more prosocial and less antisocial and disruptive playground behavior were more preferred by peers. In addition, child behaviors were found to mediate maternal discipline and peer status.     

Youth employment in the labor market of the 1980s

This article examines the nature of the changing labor market and how it has and will affect youth unemployment levels. During the decade of the 1970s, the entrance into the labor market of what has been labeled the “baby boom” generation, along with increased female participation, caused a rapid expansion of the labor force. Consequently, more workers were available than jobs for them to fill. In such a labor surplus economy, youth, particularly minority youth, were placed at the bottom of the hiring continuum by employers because of the lack of skills and experience they brought to the marketplace. The result was high levels of youth unemployment. During the 1980s, the number of youth in the population will diminish significantly. Competition for entry-level positions will drop, employers will find labor supplies tightening, and youth unemployment may decrease. The opportunity will exist for the public sector to exert a positive influence on youth employment levels. However, youth will have to come to the work force better prepared academically in order to take advantage of the generally more complex jobs available in an increasingly sophisticated workplace.     

A test of the initial processes of the goal‐planning‐action model of interpersonal influence

Dillard's goals‐planning‐action (GPA) model of interpersonal influence encompasses two different process models depending on the initial weighing of primary and secondary goals. In contrast to the GPA's prediction that the ordering of the intervening processes is moderated by the initial weighing of these two types of goals, a simplified version was found that fit the data both when the primary goal was greater than the secondary goal and when the secondary goal was greater than the primary goal. In both conditions, the two types of goals have simultaneous, direct relationships with the persuaders’ decisions to engage their targets, and indirect effects on subsequent plan generation.     

The influence of 2 weeks of low-volume high-intensity interval training on health outcomes in adolescent boys

Abstract

The present study aimed to establish whether 2 weeks of high-intensity interval training would have a beneficial effect on aerobic fitness, fat oxidation, blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) in healthy adolescent boys. Ten adolescent boys (15.1 ± 0.3 years, 1.3 ± 0.2 years post-estimated peak height velocity) completed six sessions of Wingate-style high-intensity interval training over a 2-week period. The first session consisted of four sprints with training progressed to seven sprints in the final session. High-intensity interval training had a beneficial effect on maximal O₂ uptake (mean change, ±90% confidence intervals: 0.19 L · min^?1, ±0.19, respectively), on the O₂ uptake at the gas exchange threshold (0.09 L · min^?1, ±0.13) and on the O₂ cost of sub-maximal exercise (–0.04 L · min^?1, ±0.04). A beneficial effect on the contribution of lipid (0.06 g · min^?1, ±0.06) and carbohydrate (–0.23 g · min^?1, ±0.14) oxidation was observed during sub-maximal exercise, but not for the maximal rate of fat oxidation (0.04 g · min^?1, ±0.08). Systolic blood pressure (1 mmHg, ±4) and BMI (0.1 kg · m², ±0.1) were not altered following training. These data demonstrate that meaningful changes in health outcomes are possible in healthy adolescent boys after just six sessions of high-intensity interval training over a 2-week period.     

Rethinking Electronic Portfolios to Promote Sustainability among Teachers

Electronic portfolios (eportfolios) can increase reflection, develop content and pedagogy skills and facilitate communication between teachers and administrators. However, they have limitations. Despite resources that teacher institutions devote to eportfolios, research suggests that most implementations are of limited duration. In a climate where sustained professional development and lifelong learning are necessary to remain competitive, organizations should reevaluate how eportfolios are implemented to sustain use and maintain skills deemed important by teaching organizations. Using principles of change theory, this article identifies several eportfolio challenges and how they may be improved through principles of personal learning environments. Implementation procedures and limitations are also provided.     

Examiner errors on the WRAT-R

A random sample of 55 WRAT-R protocols, completed by nine practitioners for a metropolitan school district in the South, was analyzed for examiner errors. All nine practitioners made errors, which occurred on 95% of the protocols and averaged 3.0 errors per protocol. The most frequent errors included failures to obtain a correct ceiling or basal, and failures to record examinees' responses. Correction of the examiner errors resulted in changes in 11 standard scores, and 3 additional changes in grade equivalent scores. These results indicate that WRAT-R administration and scoring are not as objective as assumed by the test developers, and that examiner errors on this test can adversely affect diagnostic decisions.     

Training load and schedule are important determinants of sleep behaviours in youth-soccer players

The current study examined how sleep may be influenced by the scheduling of training and match load within 10 youth-soccer players. Sleep was measured over a 14-day in-season period using a commercially available wireless sleep monitor. Each collected sleep variable; lights out, sleep latency, total sleep time wake after sleep onset and final awakening, was compared for the specific day within the training schedule (e.g. match day [MD], day after match [MD?+?1]) and to training/match load (high-speed distance (>5.5 m/s) [HSD] and rating of perceived exertion. The data were analysed using mixed models and effect sizes, to describe the magnitude of effects that training schedule and training load may have on sleep. A reduction of sleep duration was observed on the day after the match (MD?+?1) in relation to the training days preceding the match (MD-2: ?65 min, ES: 0.89?±?0.79; MD-1 ?61 min, ES: 0.82?±?0.64) and reduction on match day (+45 min; ES: 1.91?±?1.69). This may suggest youth-soccer players actively change their sleep scheduling behaviours in relation to the imposed soccer schedule. Increased high-speed running (for every 100 m) showed a small increase to total sleep time (+9 min; ES: 0.48?±?0.31). This may suggest that increases in training load may be associated with small increases in sleep quantity. Such observations may highlight that the type of day and the associated load within the training microcycle may have important consequences for sleep within youth-soccer players.     

The relationship between bowling action classification and three-dimensional lower trunk motion in fast bowlers in cricket

Lower back injuries, specifically lumbar stress fractures, account for the most lost playing time in professional cricket. The aims of this study were to quantify the proportion of lower trunk motion used during the delivery stride of fast bowling and to examine the relationship between the current fast bowling action classification system and potentially injurious kinematics of the lower trunk. Three-dimensional kinematic data were collected from 50 male professional fast bowlers during a standing active range of motion trial and three fast bowling trials. A high percentage of the fast bowlers used a mixed bowling action attributable to having shoulder counter-rotation greater than 30 degrees. The greatest proportion of lower trunk extension (26%), contralateral side-flexion (129%), and ipsilateral rotation (79%) was used during the front foot contact phase of the fast bowling delivery stride. There was no significant difference in the proportions of available lower trunk extension, contralateral side-flexion, and ipsilateral rotation range of motion used during fast bowling by mixed and non-mixed action bowlers. Motion of the lower trunk, particularly side-flexion, during front foot contact, in addition to variables previously known to be related to back injury (e.g. shoulder counter-rotation), should be examined in future cross-sectional and prospective studies examining the fast bowling action and low back injury.